Media Release
Tuesday 17 March, 2015
For Immediate Release
Chairman and Founder of China’s Yi Cheng
International Investment Group visits Australia
China’s Yi Cheng International Investment Group strengthens collaboration with
Australia’s First Guardian Group and sets-up first international office in Melbourne.
MELBOURNE, 17 March 2015 - The First Guardian Group (FGG), an Australian
diversified investment management, funds management, and trading and export facilitation
firm, is pleased to announce further growth in their relationship with Yi Cheng International
Investment Group (YCIIG).
Chairman and Founder of YCIIG, Mr Zhang Yi Cheng, visited Australia last week to
strengthen collaboration and cement plans for delivery of joint projects with the First
Guardian Group.
During the visit Mr Zhang opened an office jointly with the First Guardian Group in Collins
Street Melbourne, and progressed due diligence and implementation planning on several
major investment projects in Melbourne and regional Victoria.
“I’m delighted to be in Australia”, Mr Zhang said at the launch of his new office with the
First Guardian Group.
“This is a very beautiful and friendly country and we are happy to be a part of it. I am also
impressed that the elegance of Melbourne is complemented with such business energy.
With one of the strongest economies and most enviable lifestyles in the world - there is
much we can do together here,” he said.
David Twine, Chairman of the First Guardian Group said, “It is a great pleasure to welcome
Mr Zhang to Australia and we are honoured to be opening a joint office with YCIIG in the
heart of Melbourne. This is particularly rewarding because this office is YCIIG’s first
international office outside of greater China.”
“We are exploring several business initiatives across areas such as property, life sciences,
agriculture and food, and I’m confident that in due course this collaboration will realise
solid capital injections into Melbourne and the surrounding economy.”
“Although YCIIG and First Guardian have business activity outside Australia, we have
specifically chosen Melbourne as our focal point for joint activities in Australia”, explains
David Twine, “given Melbourne’s dynamic business environment, world-class
infrastructure and government support.”
About Yi Cheng International Investment Group
Head-quartered in Beijing, Yi Cheng International Investment Group is a large-scale
diversified Chinese conglomerate with interests across all aspects of property development
and asset management, while also extending into energy and mining, high-grade consumer
For all media enquiries please contact Ilya Lovell on +61 (0) 499 082 941,
or email [email protected]
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Media Release
Tuesday 17 March, 2015
health, cultural tourism, integrated supply chain management and an extensive domestic
and international wholesale, retail and distribution network.
At the core of the enterprise is a sophisticated investment and financing management
capability and financial services platform.
The Group controls more than over 40 Chinese and foreign companies and employs over
2,000 people.
About the First Guardian Group
The First Guardian Group is a diversified investment management, trading and export
facilitation firm, managing assets, funds and a network of agricultural and food trading
linkages between Australia, New Zealand and the markets of Asia and the Middle East.
Divisions of the First Guardian Group operate across agriculture and food assets, property
and tourism developments, life sciences and research, minerals and energy, managing assets
in ethical investments, superannuation, and private equity. Our core investment team has
over 130 years’ investment management experience investing in Asian, American and
Australian markets.
Most recently, First Guardian Agriculture (FG Agri) launched the Australian Agricultural
Fund as a premium agricultural investment platform focused on acquiring, developing and
operating a portfolio of pastoral and other strategically complementary agricultural assets
and land holdings across selected regions of Australia that can operate as an internationallycompetitive integrated supply chain.
For all media enquiries please contact Ilya Lovell on +61 (0) 499 082 941,
or email [email protected]
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